At York University the Libraries have long prided themselves on their active information literacy (IL) program. Recently a Learning Commons has been established fostering the adoption of an integrated and collaborative approach to supporting student learning and extending the former narrower traditional focus on information literacy. The Libraries, the Writing Department and the Learning Skills Counsellors at York collaborate to offer programming and services with academic literacy as a central focus. In this session we will provide an overview of the philosophy, infrastructure and evolving services and programming at York University where the Learning Commons concept strives to be more than simply a space for students. We will discuss lessons learned along the way based on research and first-hand experience. A particular focus will be partnerships that have fostered programming to enhance students' academic literacy skills in the form of consultations, workshops, e-learning (SPARK) and faculty development opportunities.

Librarians at Ithaca College actively support faculty members' efforts to develop academic literacy in their students. Liaison librarians work with each of the major areas of instruction at IC to ensure that appropriate disciplinary materials are available. In addition, librarians work with individual faculty members and their classes to facilitate the development of discipline-specific skills. This year, the library developed online course guides and targeted instruction sessions for ICSM sections for first year students. Usability testing informed the revised organization and standardization of online course guides, with a quick assessment component added to several guides. Librarians will also discuss the launch of a collaborative approach to the identification of content and research skills necessary for the successful completion of selected degree programs, currently underway with two academic disciplines. ​
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Academic Writing and Library Research Skills: Conceptions and Assumptions of Students and FacultyTuesday, April 8, 11.00 am-12.00 pmCenter for Faculty Excellence, 316 Gannett Center
Facilitated by Ron Sheese, Professor of Psychology and Writing, York University, Toronto, and Sophie Bury, Head, Peter F. Bronfman Business Library, York University, Toronto
We will discuss the contrast between student and instructor conceptions of the writing and library research process. On the one hand, we will consider our experience with students seeking help at the Writing Centre and the Reference Desk. On the other, we will describe a project in which we conducted focus groups with York faculty members and reviewed literature on conceptions of these skills and their development. As a prelude to consideration of skills instruction, we will focus on the idea of unpacking the tacit assumptions about academic literacy made by both students and faculty.
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Embedding academic literacy instruction in disciplinary courses: Laying the groundwork Tuesday, April 8, 12.00-1.00 pmCenter for Faculty Excellence, 316 Gannett Center
Facilitated by Ron Sheese, Professor of Psychology and Writing, York University, Toronto, and Sophie Bury, Head, Peter F. Bronfman Business Library, York University, Toronto
We will present our ideas for the teaching and learning of academic reading, writing, and library research skills within the context of disciplinary courses. We will propose a number of ways in which instructors in disciplinary-based courses can design assignments to support the development of these skills. In particular, we will describe the recently developed on-line resource SPARK (Student Papers and Academic Research Kit) developed by the York Learning Commons and discuss how it might bridge the efforts of students and faculty to develop academic literacy.
(register here) Lunch Provided for Registrants

Individuals with disabilities requiring accommodations should contact Laurie Wasik at wasik@ithaca.edu or (607) 274-3734. We ask that requests for accommodations be made as soon as possible.

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